On November 5, 2018, the Ashland Police Department received a call from the Dollar General in Ashland, and the cashier stated that the store had been robbed at gun point.

Officer Griffin responded and made sure the scene was safe. He then notified Inv. Corey Dickinson, and Chief Joseph Stanford, and made them aware of the incident. Inv. Dickinson responded and he and Officer Griffin processed the scene. The matter is under investigation, and as more details become available they will be released to the public.

This is a great time to remind our businesses and store owners not to keep large amounts of cash on hand, or visible to would be criminals. It is the time of the year that we see a spike in these types of crimes, but we should always be vigilant in making sure that we harden our targets as much as possible. But if you are confronted with something similar, we ask that you comply with their requests and not try to be a hero. Money and objects can be replaced, but once life is gone it cannot be brought back.

We, at the Ashland Police Department, will work to prevent this from happening again, and we need your help in doing this. If you see something suspicious, please call us and we will check it out. We all love our small town, with its family appeal, and we want to keep it that way.

We live in an era where almost anything is possible. A world made more of convenience as the days pass us by. Seems just about anything is possible. We’ve come leaps and bounds with medical technology, give voice commands to our phone to our bidding, and even drive electric cars. But even with all the technology, we can’t seem to solve our tied elections without a coin toss.

After the November 6th election, Republican James “Jim” Studdard led the Clay County Sheriff race with 2675 votes over Democrat Henry Lambert’s 2668 votes, a difference of only 7 votes. Not many times in election history has the few provisional votes ever really made a difference, but this would be the case with 23 provisionals hanging in the balance determining the fate of our new Sheriff.

At 12 noon today, Sheriff Ray Latham, Revenue Commissioner Ronald Robertson, Investigator Shanon House and Probate Judge Dianne Branch unsealed the 23 provisional votes and counted them before a small crowd inside the courtroom inside the Clay County Courthouse. Six of these votes were thrown out because the voter wasn’t registered to vote in Clay County. And then, the unthinkable happened…a tie. Each candidate had 2680 votes.

After a call to the Secretary of State and his attorney, the standard protocol to determine a winner came down to a coin toss. Lambert offered the use of his quarter stating with a nervous joke that he had never been any good at gambling. For a second, neither of the candidates would call anything. Finally Studdard called heads. And with a flip of this historic coin by Sheriff Latham, heads it was as the coin dropped to the floor. Studdard was declared the unofficial winner.

Now, with an election this close, a recount will take place. It will begin at 9:00 am on Friday, Nov. 16 for an official winner. If, and only if, there was a runoff election between the two candidates, it would carry a price tag of approximately $50,000, but that is not even a factor in this contest. I’ll be there Friday as the recount takes place to bring you late breaking results.

And just like that, our historic Clay County Courthouse becomes even more historic. This is the first election to ever end with a coin toss in our little county…

Remains found identified as missing Clay County Woman On July 09, 2010, Clara Vaughn Rogers, age 74, was reported missing from her home @ 4237 Cheaha Road, Munford, in the Northern most part of Clay County. Joseph Edward Rogers, husband, reported Clara Rogers missing at approximately 3pm that date. Mr. Rogers told Sheriff Alexander and Sheriff’s Investigators that he had last seen his wife around 8am that morning when he left the residence to cut grass and do yard work.

Upon returning, Mr. Rogers stated he could not locate his wife anywhere in the residence or on the property. Mr. Rogers stated all vehicles were accounted for and no one had been at the residence that day. Mr. Rogers told deputies his wife suffered from Dementia and had possibly wandered away from the house.

Sheriff’s deputies, Clay County Rescue Squad personnel and the Alabama Department of Public Safety Rotor Wing Search & Rescue personnel were dispatched to the mountainous wooded area around the Rogers Residence attempting to locate Mrs. Rogers. In all, personnel searched the wooded and mountainous area for approximately 3 days in an attempt to locate the missing woman. Those searches proved unsuccessful.

In June of 2011, Sheriff Latham organized a search effort with Cadaver K-9 and law enforcement personnel around the Roger’s residence. Later in 2011 and thru the spring of 2013, several efforts were made by Clay County Sheriff’s Deputies aided by members of the Talladega Sheriff’s Office, Lineville Police Department and Ashland Police Department in the search of Salt Creek and surrounding area of the Rogers home.

On June 1st 2013, a group of hikers were hiking Salt Creek Falls and found what appeared to be parts of human remains in Salt Creek just north of the falls in Clay County. Those remains were received by Sheriff’s Investigators and transported to the States Forensics Lab in Montgomery. Results to positively identify the identity was challenging.

Clay County Sheriff’s Investigators retrieved DNA samples from a Rogers family member in an effort for a more precise match. Those remains and the DNA samples were then transfered to the FBI Lab Quantico, Va.

A report to Clay County Sheriff’s Office from the FBI Lab dated September 27, 2018 confirmed that the remains found on June 1st, 2013 were the remains of the missing Clay County woman, Clara Vaugh Rogers. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rogers family as they are able to have closure in their time of sorrow, states Sheriff Latham.

The Clay County Board of Education met Thursday, September 27, 2018 for the monthly session, during which the following agenda items were approved:

September 6, 2018 meeting minutes

All Financial and cash balances for August 2018

The selection of Shane Davidson as delegate and Bruce Sims as alternate to represent the CCBOE during the Delegate Assembly AASB’s annual business meeting.

Approval of the resolution to establish a credit line for borrowing the sum of $1,999,000.00 from First State Bank of Clay County at a rate not exceeding 6% per annum. These funds will be repaid no later that September 30, 2019 and will be used to pay employees before Christmas holidays if and when needed.

* MARK THE DATE * On Thursday, October 11, 2018, a community forum/town hall meeting will be held from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Clay County Farmer’s Market to discuss the amendment that will be on the November 5th ballot.

This amendment states to vote yes or no to holding state court in the courthouse for as long as it is habitable.

The amendment has been the subject of much controversy due to lack of knowledge on this matter. Hopefully, this meeting will shed some light for the citizens so they can vote with knowledge.

The meeting will be conducted by a guest moderator and security will be provided. All citizens are encouraged to attend.

Every year, we give thanks, show our appreciation, and pay our respects for Veterans everywhere, past and present. This one day a year seems like such a meager gesture for their honorable service to our country.

On August 30, Officers from the Ashland Police Department along with deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s department responded to a hang up call going into 911, that was reportedly made from some where near the Ashland Elementary School. Officers were unable to prove anything was actually credible, and the school was taken off of lockdown before the school was scheduled to be dismissed.

After further investigation, it was determined that a watch was used from within the school to call 911 several times and raised the alarm. The watch was confiscated by the Ashland Police Department, and the child in question was to be sought on Friday, August 31, for questioning. Because there was never a threat made, and no persons were in danger the school was released back to administrators and will reopen on Friday morning at regular time.

Montgomery, AL.- On Saturday, July 21, 2018, Michael Morrison of Lineville, was elected President of the Alabama Jr. Cattlemen’s Association at the 2018 AJCA Round-Up. Michael has been a member of AJCA since he was 9 and has been on the Executive Board for 3 years. He is the first person ever from Clay County to hold this prestigious office.

Michael has participated in numerous activities through AJCA, such as exhibiting registered show cows, livestock judging, and leadership activities. He currently attends Gadsden St. Community College where he is an Ambassador. He plans to transfer to Auburn University in the Fall of 2019. He is the son of Mike and Laraine Morrison.

CLAY COUNTY YOUNG FARM FAMILY NAMED BEST IN ALABAMA

Chris and Jordyn Upchurch of Clay County were named Alabama’s 2018 Outstanding Young Farm Family (OYFF) at the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 46th Commodity Producers Conference in Montgomery Aug. 4. Their Rockin U farm in Lineville encompasses over 300 acres, 130 cows and three poultry houses.

As the OYFF, the fourth-generation farmers received over $70,000 in prizes and will compete for the national Achievement Award at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention in New Orleans in January. From left are Federation President Jimmy Parnell, Jordyn and Chris.